A new staging of the contemporary circus show Ockham’s Razor at Salford’s Lowry Theatre is sensual, intimate and whispers in modest beauty.
It is directed and performed by Alex Harvey and Charlotte Mooney, who are partners and originally met 24 years ago in circus school.
The name Ockham’s razor, which is also the name of the circus company, comes from the ‘logical principle that between two theories the simpler is preferable.’
The show incorporates the styles of contemporary circus and theatre, portraying a beautifully physical demonstration of the importance of partnership throughout life. Yet, just like the ideology behind its name, the show excels in showing these often-complicated feelings in a physical and digestible manner.
It was this sense of relatability which created a comfortable and warm performance that truly felt shared from performer to audience. Even beforehand, walking into the theatre, the two performers were amongst the crowd walking along the aisles, greeting and thanking everyone for attending.
From the set design, to the lighting, to the music, and the costume changes, which were done on stage (the clothes are thrown into a pile in the corner), every area of the performance felt authentically human.
That’s not to say there were no surprises throughout the show. From the philosophical and anecdotal context given by Charlotte Mooney, in between acts, to subtle changes of light, which were all the more noticeable, behind the minimalistic set, every detail added something necessary.
Salford resident, Mark White, said: “The show was excellent. I really felt that energy me and my wife have shared throughout life “I almost saw all those years of my life on the stage.”
And as the two performers hung upon each other, suspended under orange light, groaning beneath a subtle mist, this portrayal of partnership was utterly compelling. Limbs entangled and the audience gazed up towards the uncanny danger.
Ockham’s razor is a perfect mix of circus and theatre. Acts are performed up the floor, others, hung from the ceiling. And as described in one of Charlotte’s anecdotes, early in the show, the performance truly answers the question: “What happens when two waves meet?”
★★★★⯪
